Using 2 audio cards w/Winamp 3

Running 2k w/sp2 and a PII 450 and Intel chipset (surely NOT my favorite, only a cheap 2nd box).

I have 2 audio cards:
The first is a Winnov Videum AV video capture card with audio.
The 2nd is a Creative SB CT4810.

I added the SB after because the audio from the capture card sucks! It is noisy especially when playing mp3's. They are full of static and hiss where the SB with the stock Windows drivers (I didn't load anything else) is fine! Not that I'm a fan of Creative or especially stock Windows drivers, but that is the case here. The Winnov has the lastest drivers for 2k.

The problem is when I play audio CD's using the SB as the default device in sound & multimedia properties (box checked) I have no level control in Winamp. If I use the capture card I have control. This is only fron CD's.

I hope this is clear. Any ideas?

You can play mp3s on either card and have full control in WinAmp?

Does WinAmp recognise that the Creative is the default card?

Yes to both!

Also when I close Winamp when playing a CD the CD keeps on playing.
I looked in task manager and nothing is running.

How can that be?

Also the EQ doesn't have any effect when playing a CD is that normal?

It kind of sounds like two applications are trying to play the CD at the same time...like WinAmp and maybe the Windows CD Player (not WMP)one on each card. You have very minimal controls with the CD player (I don't think EQ is one of them....). If you close WinAmp the CD should stop...that is why I think something else is actually playing, even though nothing is showing up.

I've seen around the web that a lot of people are dissatisfied with Winamp 3 and recommend sticking with 2.80 or 2.81. You might want to check through your file types [AudioCD]and see what programs they're associated with.

Originally posted by mjc
It kind of sounds like two applications are trying to play the CD at the same time...like WinAmp and maybe the Windows CD Player (not WMP)one on each card. You have very minimal controls with the CD player (I don't think EQ is one of them....). If you close WinAmp the CD should stop...that is why I think something else is actually playing, even though nothing is showing up.

Very interesting...............BUT, if the CD player IS running and playing that CD, why doesn't it show up on the desktop?
I can start and stop the track from Winamp's controls.

I will look in task manager to see if it is runniong in the background.

I do have all associations with Winamp and 'play CD's' checked!

There are NO processes or app's running in task manager (2k).

How the hell can something operate without something controlling it?

I started CD Player ran the CD closed CD Player and the CD stoped!

I uninstalled V3 and installed V2.81 and that fixed the playing after it is closed problem, BUT the orginal problem is still there. I can't control the audio level in Winamp of a audio CD! Also the EQ has no effect either (if I remember correctly it didn't with CD's, is that right?).

When I mentioned to check the file associations I meant the Windows file associations not the Winamp file associations. I'm not too familiar with Win 2000 having only used it sporadically but it should be something like Start/Folder Options/File Types. Then make sure that only Winamp has the option to open those type files.

That is the case.

If I uninstall the Videum software and run Registry Crawler to remove the entries that the uninstall program doesn't (comes up with about 30......happens every time something gets uninstalled) Winamp is ok! The card can be there but it's the software seems to take control of the CD volume! If I disable the Videum card without removing the software no change. Still no CD control!

I have contacted Videum but no answer yet. This is with both versions of Winamp!

It seems as if this problem is due to the use of the 2 audio cards. The only other thing I can think of is to create a second profile and disable some of the hardware for that profile.

just check the EQ is enabled (ON) .....

The EQ had no effect either.

But now I have a new problem!

Now the SB card sounds as bad as the capture card. Hiss and static sounding like a well used 45!!

I uninstalled everything, removed the boards, ran Registry Crawler and removed what wasn't removed after uninstalling the software.
Then reinstalled just the SB card with the latest drivers from Creative and low and behold............
IT STILL SOUNDS LIKE CRAP!

So, I got a idea, I opened up Media Player and guess what? The mp3 sounds fine! Yes good old MP works fine and Winamp sounds terrible! I uninstalled Winamp and reinstalled it, but still no improvement.

So I uninstalled the SB card, removed it, subsistuted a Crystal Audio ISA card and let Windows install it's own drivers and again the same thing. Winamp bad, Media Player good.

Yes, I did try another mp3 but no difference!

I have NO idea where to go now!

It could be that you have a problem with codecs being corrupt or .dll's not pointing where they should. Always a dicey problem to correct.

Ok, sounds good (no pun intended) but what do I do now? Where do I start without re-installing Windows?

Well, it might be the way to go. I've found in the past that Win 98 invariably gets audio/video problems after about 12-18 months if I messed around with a bunch of audio and video programs. I know you're using win 2000. There might be something that's being overlooked such as maxed out Windows volume controls or software for either of the cards.

Before going there though can you recap what the current problems still are? You said that WMP was doing just fine.

Winamp using either card sounds bad. Hiss and stactic (much like a worn 78).

Media Player sounds good (uck, I'm sick, I just said a Windows programs works better than a 3rd party program!)

This is playing a mp3 file that sounds fine using Winamp in my other box with a SB Live card through the same stereo system (bookshelf speakers).